Review of Paul Simon: Under African Skies (2012) by Paul W — 09 Dec 2012

The footage of those original South African sessions when Paul Simon first played with Ray Phiri and other South African musicians is spellbinding. Meanwhile the (largely unknown to me, I must confess) political fallout from Paul Simon breaking the ANC cultural embargo with South Africa is fascinating, and Simon tuns out to be a great philosopher on the nature of artists in a world where most power continues to sit with politicians and economists.

But above all the politics, the infectious music of Graceland shines throughout, an album that makes you feel like you are discovering something every single time you listen to it.